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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24144064">Invisible Marks</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/komorebirei/pseuds/komorebirei'>komorebirei</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/komorebirei/pseuds/mireille'>mireille (komorebirei)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Light Angst, Wing AU, Wing Binding, adrienette - Freeform, preening</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 18:34:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>849</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24144064</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/komorebirei/pseuds/komorebirei, https://archiveofourown.org/users/komorebirei/pseuds/mireille</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p></p><blockquote>
  <p>Adrien flinches, inhaling sharply.</p>
  <p>“I’m sorry,” Marinette squeaks, retracting her hands and letting the segment of netting fall from her fingers. “Did that hurt?”</p>
  <p>“No!” In his haste to reassure her, Adrien’s voice comes out louder than intended. He swallows, heat pooling in his cheeks, and tries again. “No, it’s okay. I, it’s just—kind of weird.”</p>
</blockquote><br/>Written for the Wing AU started by thechatsmeow, justaferal-bastard and tizzymcwizzy on Tumblr.
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>285</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Invisible Marks</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I couldn't resist. ^w^</p><p>Written based on the Wing AU that's been developing on Tumblr. In particular, I'm referencing silverwhiteraven's idea of Adrien having his wings bound since childhood to maintain good posture, keep them pristine, and show class superiority (at Gabriel’s behest of course). See the endnotes for links to the Tumblr posts.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Adrien flinches, inhaling sharply.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Marinette squeaks, retracting her hands and letting the segment of netting fall from her fingers. “Did that hurt?”</p><p>“No!” In his haste to reassure her, Adrien’s voice comes out louder than intended. He swallows, heat pooling in his cheeks, and tries again. “No, it’s okay. I, it’s just—kind of weird.”</p><p><em> “Weird? </em>—I’m so sorry, we don’t have to do this,” Marinette says quickly, voice tight. “I-if you’re uncomfortable, that is.”</p><p>“I’m not, I swear.” Adrien peers over his shoulder, shifting his left wing aside to make eye contact. His gaze, soft and sincere over pink-dusted cheeks and without an iota of awkwardness, sets Marinette at ease somewhat. “I didn’t mean <em>bad </em>weird. Just different from what I’m used to. No one’s ever taken them off except Nathalie or my groomers, so… I’m kind of nervous. But go on, I really don’t mind.”</p><p>As if to reinforce his statement, he gives his right wing a little shake, further dislodging the netting that hangs limp, half-unbound.</p><p>“If you’re sure.” Letting out a shaky breath, Marinette grasps the sturdy filaments of seemingly-expensive gilded cord and continues to tease them loose from his feathers. Finally, the last loop slides out. A mild sense of disgust tickles the back of her throat as she folds the binding apparatus neatly, handing it to Adrien so he can set it on her round tea table.</p><p>Adrien stretches his wings, feathers ruffling up in the wind. Marinette watches, mesmerized, as they ripple like liquid gold reflecting the afternoon sunlight. His natural color really is extraordinary, but she keeps the remark to herself, knowing that he takes no pleasure in having his wings fawned over.</p><p>“Does it hurt?” Marinette asks, reaching out to gently skim her fingertips over Adrien’s feathers. Though the faint contact must be barely perceptible, she feels a shudder pass through him at her touch.</p><p>“No,” he answers. His wings fold tightly against his back, resuming their habitual resting position. While poised and elegant, it’s a position that in no way looks natural or restful. “Not anymore.”</p><p>“It did when you were younger?” Marinette ventures, running her hands along the top ridges of his wings to see if she can get him to relax. His muscles loosen ever so slightly under her palms.</p><p>“Mhmm,” he hums in response. “Just at first, but I got used to it.”</p><p>“I’m so sorry.” Marinette frowns. “It sucks that you had to get used to that.”</p><p>She starts with his scapulars, tracing the shaft of each feather to loosen them, straighten the barbs, and brush off bits of leaves and dust he’s collected over the school day. Adrien is quiet, and she wonders what he’s thinking.</p><p>“Is this okay?” she asks, just to be sure.</p><p>A breeze rustles through the leaves of Marinette’s potted plants, setting her string lanterns bobbing and their feathers stirring pleasantly.</p><p>“It feels nice,” Adrien sighs, pulling one knee into his chest so he can prop his arms on it as a pillow for his head. “And so does that wind. It’s been a while since I felt the wind under my feathers.”</p><p>Marinette bites her lip, emotions rousing in her that she doesn’t have the words to express. She now knows that Adrien wears the bindings all throughout the day and only takes them off for certain photoshoots or when he’s in his room. She can’t imagine never being able to spread her wings in the open air.</p><p>She continues to preen him silently, exploring the gaps between his feathers with her fingertips, tracing the ridges that years of binding have formed. She presses her fingers over them again and again, wishing she could erase the invisible marks from his body.</p><p>When Adrien notices what she’s doing, he hunches further forward as if embarrassed and mumbles out, “Sorry, I know it’s gross.”</p><p>Marinette gasps and glares at the back of his head. “It is <em> not </em>gross.”</p><p>His face is buried in his arms, but realizing Marinette’s ministrations have paused, he turns to look at her.</p><p>“Nothing about you is gross,” Marinette insists. “You’re <em> beautiful.” </em></p><p>Adrien has been told he’s beautiful countless times in his life, and the words have never meant anything to him. This time is different, though, with Marinette’s fingers still buried under his feathers, touching the grooves left by his bindings. She doesn’t mean beautiful the same way everyone else does.</p><p>“Thank you,” is all Adrien can manage in a wobbling voice as he ducks his head back into his arms in time to hide his eyes filling up with tears.</p><p>To his relief, rather than press the issue, Marinette resumes stroking his feathers one by one, fingers slow and careful.</p><p>“I’ve never had a friend preen me before,” Adrien says once his vocal chords are back under control. “I’m really glad we’re friends, Marinette.”</p><p>She doesn’t have it in her to be disappointed about Adrien calling her a friend again, because the way he says it with reverence and gratitude makes her feel like she’s everything he’s ever wanted.</p><p>“Me too,” Marinette whispers.</p><p>
  
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Check out silverwhiteraven's post about <a href="https://silverwhiteraven.tumblr.com/post/617357196032966656/beauty-and-self-expression-in-wing-culture-so-its">Wing Binding</a>. Brizie-doodles drew an example <a href="https://brizie-doodles.tumblr.com/post/617482292789723136/binding-doodles-concept-doodles-i-guess-inspired">here</a>.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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